This invention relates generally to air conditioning systems and, more particularly to a method and apparatus for securing separate housing elements to form a housing for encasing internal components of a room air conditioner system.
Traditionally, a room air conditioner system has been constructed with a base pan fabricated from sheet metal and having the various internal components attached thereto. One or more covers or so-called "wrappers" are then placed over the installed components and secured to the base pan structure by conventional fasteners such as screws or the like. Considerable time was therefore required for fastening the housing elements together, not only during the initial assembly process, but also later when it was necessary to remove the cover for maintenance or repair services.
The use of plastic materials has more recently become common for the replacement of sheet metal materials in air conditioning housing structures. One approach has been to provide a base pan fabricated from a sheet metal material, attaching various plastic elements thereto with screws or the like, and then covering the entire assembly with one or more plastic housing elements. Such a structure is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,766,749 issued to Livesay on Oct. 23, 1973.
Another approach in the use of plastics is now being made by a commercially available unit wherein the upwardly extending intermediate partition is integrally formed with the base pan from a sheet molding compound (SMC), polyester material. The internal components are mounted to the base pan, or to the partition, and front and rear covers made from a similar polyester material are installed to complete the housing.
Whether a single or multiple cover elements are used, it is necessary to secure those elements together or to secure them to a supporting structure such as the base pan or the partition. Generally, screws are used for this purpose. However, there are various other mechanical fastening devices that have been employed for this purpose. All of them involve considerable time and effort, both in the initial assembly process and later, when it is necessary to remove the cover elements for maintenance and/or repair services.
Another design for a polymeric housing structure is that shown in application Ser. No. 778114 filed concurrently with the present application and assigned to the common assignee. Here, it was desired to secure an upper casing member to a lower casing member into which the internal components were installed. With such an arrangement it was desirable to transfer a portion of a load from the bottom casing member to the top casing member. In doing so, it was necessary to keep in mind other, more conventional, requirements such as simplicity, aesthetics, and the ability to quickly and easily assemble and disassemble the structure.
It is, therefore, the object of the present invention to provide an improved method to secure together housing elements of an air conditioner unit to provide an aesthetically pleasing and secure housing structure.
Another object of the present invention is the provision in a two-piece air conditioner housing structure for load sharing between the upper and lower casing elements.
Yet another object of the present invention is the provision for quickly and easily attaching a pair of mating casing structures to provide a housing for a room air conditioner.
Still another object of the present invention is the provision for an air conditioner housing attachment structure which is economical to manufacture and extremely functional in use.
These objects and other features and advantages become more readily apparent upon reference to the following description when taken in conjunction with the appended drawings.